5.4.42
बह्वल्पार्थाच्छस् कारकादन्यतरस्याम्
Operational rule vidhi
After a word signifying much or little, comes the affix शस् optionally when the word stands in agreement with a verb (as कारक).
Word by word (padaccheda)
Left context बहु- अल्पार्थात् pañcamī · ekavacanaSubstitute / term श prathamā · ekavacanaLeft context pañcamī · ekavacanaRight context अन्यतरस्याम् saptamī · ekavacana
- Left context Pañcamī (5th case): "after X", the operation applies to what follows (1.1.67 तस्मादित्युत्तरस्य). Also used for limits and sources.
- Substitute / term Prathamā (1st case): in operational rules, the substitute or the thing introduced; in definitions, the term or its referent.
- Right context Saptamī (7th case): "when X follows", the operation applies to what precedes (1.1.66 तस्मिन्निति निर्दिष्टे पूर्वस्य). Also a condition or domain ("in the sense of").
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Full reading
बहु-
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
After a word signifying much or little, comes the affix शस् optionally when the word stands in agreement with a verb (as कारक)।
No especial कारक being mentioned, all cases such as accusative &c are to be taken. Thus बहूनि ददाति = बहुशो ददाति, बहुभिर्ददाति = बहुशो ददाति ॥ So also बहुभ्यः आगच्छति or बहुश आगच्छति &c. Similarly अल्पशो ददाति = अल्पं or अल्पेन &c.
Why do we say "signifying much or little"? Observe गां ददाति, अश्वं ददाति ॥
Why do we say "when it is a karaka"? Observe बहूनां स्वामी "lord of many". Here the words are in genitive case and a genitive or 6th case is not a कारक or a case, dependent or related to a verb: and so the affx is not applied here.
By the word 'signifying', the synonyms of बहु and अल्प are also included. Thus भूरिशो ददाति, स्तोकशो ददाति ॥
This affix is to be applied only when the action refers to an auspicious act. Thus बहुशो ददाति = अभ्युदयिकेषु कर्मसु; अल्पशो ददाति = अनिष्टेषु कर्मसु ॥ Thus बहुशो देहि "Give much on auspicious occasions as sacrifices &c". अल्पशो देहि "give a little on unauspicious, occasions as funeral feasts &c".
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.